For testing we will be using the Intel Burn Test with the AVX instruction set. We use this instead of Prime 95 as it will push the processor much harder. We have it set on the maximum setting and let it ruin through 3 passes. This gives us a realistic idea of the temperatures the processor would hit when it is under full load.

Keep in mind this is an Extreme Edition processor. These run much hotter than normal chips so keep that in mind.

We ran a few different tests with the NH-U12S. Noctua included a low-noise adapter with the cooler so we will be using that to test “low” and “high” speeds. We will also be testing with a single fan installed and the dual fan setup. Below are our results.

As you can see we have some good results here, we within the i7-4960X’s threshold. Adding a second fan provided a little better results, but not by much. Using the low-noise adapter the fans were spinning at around 1150 RPM compared to the 1500 RPM normal operating speed.